What vector is responsible for spreading malaria?

The vector responsible for spreading malaria is mosquitoes, specifically the female Anopheles mosquito. These mosquitoes serve as the primary carriers of the Plasmodium parasites, which cause the disease. The life cycle of the parasite involves both the mosquito and the human host, with the mosquito transmitting the parasite through its bites. When a mosquito bites an infected person, it ingests the parasite along with the blood. Later, when it bites another person, the parasite is passed into the blood of the new host, leading to infection.

While other vectors like houseflies, lice, and ticks can transmit different diseases, they do not play a role in the transmission of malaria. Understanding this critical relationship between mosquitoes and malaria is essential for effective disease prevention and control strategies, such as the use of insecticide-treated nets and anti-malarial medications.